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Biodegradation of lignin-carbohydrate complexes

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Abstract

Covalent lignin-carbohydrate (LC) linkages exist in lignocellulose from wood and groups herbaceous plants. In wood, they consist of ester and ether linkages through sugar hydroxyl to the α-carbanol of phenylpropane subunits in lignin. In grasses, ferulic and p-coumaric acids are esterified to hemicelluloses and lignin, respectively. Hemicelluloses also contain substitutents and side groups that restrict enzymatic attack. Watersoluble lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) often precipitate during digestion with polysaccharidases, and the residual sugars are more diverse than the bulk hemicellulose. A number of microbial esterases and hemicellulose polysaccharidases including acetyl xylan esterase, ferulic acid esterase, and p-coumaric esterase attack hemicellulose side chains. Accessory hemicellulases include α-l-arabinofuranosidase and α-methyl-glucuranosidase. Both of these side chains are involved in LC bonds. β-Glucosidase will attach sugar residues to lignin degradation products and when carbohydrate is attached to lignin, lignin peroxidase will depolymerize the lignin more readily.

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Abbreviations

APPL:

acid precipitable polymeric lignin

CBQase:

cellobioquinone oxidoreductase

LC:

lignincarbohydrate

LCC(s):

lignin-carbohydrate complex

DHP:

Dehydrogenative polymerisate

DMSO:

dimethylsulfoxide

DP:

degree of polymerisation

MWEL:

milled wood enzyme lignin

MWL:

milled wood lignin (not digested with carbohydrases)

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  1. Institute for Microbial and Biochemical Technology, USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, 53705-2398, Madison, WI, U.S.A.

    Thomas W. Jeffries

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Jeffries, T.W. Biodegradation of lignin-carbohydrate complexes. Biodegradation 1, 163–176 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00058834

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